Atlantic City: Casinos give all to win new gamblers

[clevfan]

Casinos give all to win new gamblers
By ELAINE ROSE Staff Writer,
Press of Atlantic City
Monday, May 15, 2006

ATLANTIC CITY - Never gambled in a casino? Atlantic City's gaming halls want to change that.

And some of them are offering sweet deals to any new customer who walks in the door.

Billboards on the major highways into town blare with offers. First-time players at the Sands Casino Hotel will get a scratch card worth at least $10 after they sign up for the slot club and play a bit. The Tropicana Casino and Resort and the Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort offer to double or triple the cash back and complimentaries first-time slot players earn. Sign up for a slot card at Resorts Atlantic City, and you'll get a free hat or logo jacket.

The city's juciest promotion just ended. The Atlantic City Hilton Casino Resort offered to refund everything new players lost in the slots their first day of play, and the limit was fairly high. The rebate came in the form of coupons to be redeemed on three separate visits.

Of course, the casinos don't give this stuff away for nothing. They're hoping first-time gamblers will give their property a try, or to lure some players away from the competition. And it's working.

The promotion at the Hilton was "tremendously successful," said Phil Juliano, senior vice president of regional marketing for the Hilton and Resorts.

Juliano declined to elaborate further, but the numbers speak for themselves. The Hilton's revenue jumped 23.5 percent in April compared with April 2005, according to figures released last week by the Casino Control Commission. Slot revenues increased by more than 20 percent.

That slot refund was an incentive for Debbie Sayers of West Orange, Essex County, to pay a visit to the Hilton last month. She has been playing at the casino for many years, but managed to take advantage of the offer.

"We made sure we were here for that one," Sayers said.

The Tropicana's offer to double the cash back and complimentaries for new players has helped pull people to its gaming floor, spokeswoman Katie Dougherty said. It helps that players can use their comps at several restaurants in The Quarter.

Enrollment in the casino's Diamond Club has increased 72.3 percent since The Quarter opened in November 2004, Dougherty said.

People who haven't joined the slot club at the Sands can stop at the promotions booth for a membership card, free for the asking to anyone 21 and older, spokeswoman Kathleen Kiernan said. After they earn 10 slot points, they can return for a scratch-off card that will be worth $10, $100 or even $1,000.

After the initial visit, the Sands hopes people will come back for the free parking and the $10 buffet, Kiernan said.

Some loyal casino players aren't too thrilled that the newbies get the best offers.

"We're the dedicated people, so we should get a promotion with some cash value," said Annette Licari of Mays Landing, a regular player at the Hilton.

But others say they get plenty.

Maureen Rudnicki of Mount Top, Pa., said she gets two free nights in the hotel and free meals every time she comes to the Hilton.

"I really make out when I come down here," Rudnicki said. "It's like a mini-vacation that doesn't cost me a dime," so it doesn't bother her if new players get a special offer.

Established customers can take advantage of some promotions, too.

The Trump Marina Hotel Casino is holding a free-play day June 24, where slot players' losses of as much as $50 will be refunded for a later trip.

The Hilton's current promotion allows both new and existing players to earn free gas, based on their slot play, at a station near the casino, Juliano said.

"We want to try and hit the hot buttons of gamblers," Juliano said, and free fuel seems to do it these days.

For the time being, anyone who is going to gamble in Atlantic City has already come to town, so casinos work hard to take players away from the competition, Juliano said.

"In this market, it's more about direct selling right off the billboard," Juliano said. "The market-share war is on. At the end of the day, the gambler is the one who benefits."